In case you haven't noticed our profile, where we state that this is a joint account, this story was co-written. As follows is the breakup for which one of us wrote which characters. If more characters are added later, who writes them will be stated at the top of the chapter.

Mace Windu swung his saber in an arc... missing his opponent. Instead the violet blade made contact with the transparisteel window, shattering it like ice. In the instants after, the two men staggered in the rush of air, using the Force to keep from tumbling into the canyons of skyscrapers beyond.

Once he'd regained his balance from the change in the air, Palpatine needed to use some of his power with the Force so that he would not fall. Although his following strike was slower then it had been when he could use all of his power with the force to make the strikes faster.

Windu bared his teeth, almost like a nexu as he blocked and struck back... Sith against Jedi. Vaapad's greatest test. Though he seemed a whirlwind of fury, he was, internally, in control. He was dancing on the edge of a razor. The edge between dark and light itself.

Palpatine continued to block Windu's strikes, before striking out at the jedi again. He had not expected Anakin to turn him into the jedi, but Anakin would surely return, believing that he could save those the boy loved.

Mace dodged, and riposted, knowing he must end this... Security would arrive quickly; even if he did manage to beat back the guards, if questioned later... He knew then he could not win this fight.

Not now.

He almost staggered at this realization, barely blocking another blow, seeing the madness in Sidious' eyes.

He saw the shattered window at their backs. He saw the lights of the skyscrapers outside. It was a long way down. He made one last furious slash forward.

Blocking the slash as he moved to one side to avoid it, Palpatine raised the hand that wasn't holding the lightsaber and let loose the sith lightening.

The blast hit Windu like a hammer. Automatically bringing up his saber to fend it off, he staggered back. Feeling the wind from outside blowing madly, and the crackling fire of the lightning before him...

He hated taking the coward's way out, knew he'd take a long time to forgive himself, if he ever did. He spun, disengaged, and leapt out the window.

The wind whistled past, screaming in his ears, his lightsaber still glowing as he fell. The lights of the towers around him became a blur... and suddenly, and yet, anticipasting it in the Force, he landed on the hood of a speeder below.

He grappled for purchase on the smooth metal, met the eyes of the shocked driver as he flipped himself into the open cockpit beside the Gran. "To the Jedi Temple," he barked. "Now!"

The stunned driver could do nothing but obey.

-88-

After Mace Windu's departure through the window, Palpatine didn't bother to go after him. He wouldn't be able to escape forever, not when he was about to kill them all. The clones were programmed for the order, all he had to do was give it and he could wipe out most of the resistance he would otherwise face. The Sith would rule the galaxy.

Anakin Skywalker had not joined him yet like he had been expecting, he hadn't seen him since the young Jedi had discovered his secret, but Anakin would join him, of that Palpatine was sure of. He'd told him that he had the power to save the ones he loved. He would do it to save Padme. As long as he kept him alive when he destroyed the other jedi, he would have a new apprentice, a powerful apprentice.

It was time to act, time to make contact with the clones.

"The time has come. Execute Order 66."

"It will be done my lord."

-88-

Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, after having defeated General Grievous, and spoken with Commander Cody, suddenly found himself and Boga, who he had been riding falling. It took him a moment to figure out what had happened, the action being so unexpected. He'd just spoken with the clone troopers, and they'd handed him back his lightsaber which he had dropped in his chase of Grievous. And not long after he'd started riding away from them, they'd fired at him.

He wouldn't have survived that fall if the water hadn't been, and as soon as he could recover from the dive, he put his Aquata breather into his mouth. But after he'd done that, the question was, what was he to do next? If the clone troopers had fired on him, he would have to avoid them. He had no idea why they had turned on him but he realized that he would have to think of them as enemies.

As he swam towards the surface of the water, he thought about his next course of action. It would be good if he could get in contact with someone. If he had been fired on by the clone troopers, what wasn't to say that other Jedi were facing the same problem? He had to figure out what was going on.

Obi-Wan reached the surface of the water and started to climb. He managed to avoid being seen by the clone troopers, and heard them confirm the fact that they were looking for him.

"Did you find Kenobi?"

"Sir, no one could've survived that fall."

The best thing to do was get out of there, and Obi-Wan did just that. He found Grievous starship, got into it and headed off into space.

Once he was away from the clone troopers, he decided to see if he could get in touch with someone else. However, when he attempted to get through, he discovered that the ship he was on seemed to be having a problem getting his message out.

"I've got a bad feeling about this…" He said under his breath.

The only thing left for him to do was return to Coruscant. Hopefully there he would find answers.

-88-

Anakin had stayed in the Council Chambers, pacing relentlessly, clenching his mechanical fist so tightly, it seemed that the well-made durasteel mechanism might shatter.

Padmé... He choked on tears as he realized what he'd done by staying here. He couldn't lose her... He couldn't.

Then, as suddenly if he'd been struck from behind, he staggered, catching ahold of the wall to stay upright. His eyes flew to 500 Republica just visible though the window, his breath freezing in his chest as he felt the Force surge like an ocean storm.

Sidious...

No.

Turning on his heel, he sprinted from the chamber.

Anakin raced through the hallways, ignoring the shouts of surprise and alarm of the other Jedi at seeing the Chosen One in such a hurry. He neared the entrance and skidded to a halt. "Master Jurokk!"

He was cut off as marching was heard ahead and they moved forward, to see the 501st Legion on the steps of the Temple.

Jurokk stepped forward, his surprise and unease registering vaguely in the Force. "Troopers, what's the meaning of this?"

The leading trooper stepped towards him, CT-5294, known by his squad mates as Jez. He didn't speak, just fired the blaster at Jurokk. It was an order, and it didn't even register in the clones mind that he was betraying people he'd just recently been serving. Orders, were orders.

None of them so much as glanced at Anakin. They'd been ordered by Palpatine to leave him alone, for the Sith lord still had plans for the young Jedi.

Jurokk crumpled to the ground, not even been able to draw his lightsaber fast enough.

Anakin moved. In the milliseconds between the blaster firing, and Jurokk's death, he had ignited his lightsaber. He would have no chance against the legion of clones before him, knew he had to move fast. He slashed at the leading clones, whose shots went wild, scarring the pillars and vaulted ceiling of the entryway. He Force-pushed a squad of clones into the ranks behind them, their armor clattering. Then, hardly daring to turn his back, he leaped high, attacking from above.

Other Jedi, drawn by the commotion, ran to the doors, sabers ready... The clone commanders were shouting orders for their men to disperse, spread out through the Temple, and quickly.

The clones fired at the other Jedi, but known of them came close to hitting Anakin. While they thought it was strange that he was the only one they were to allow live, they obeyed that order.

Jez remained with the clones who were fighting the Jedi who had come to help Anakin as some of them headed into the temple with the goal of destroying all the Jedi who remained inside.

Anakin shouted, a long cry from deep in his chest as he fought, saber slashing through armor and helmets. These clones... he'd served with them... Men like Rex and Cody...

"Master Skywalker!" A female Togruta cried. "What's happening? What do we do–Aaahh!" Her voice cut off into a shriek as a blaster bolt hit her side and she crumpled.

Anakin's eyes flashed. "Drive them from the Temple!" he shouted, leaping over her prostrate form and charging after the clones who'd gotten inside.

"Make a stand here!" A group of Jedi formed, sabers a blur of light as they turned the energy bolts. The air was full of cries, human and alien alike.

-88-

Mace Windu leaped from the speeder onto the Temple landing pad, saber already out. The driver hesitated, three eyes gaping at the magnificent building now engulfed in chaos before leaping out and drawing a blaster from under the seat.

Mace nodded, and the two raced inside.

-88-

Padme Amidala wanted to know what was happening. She could see the Temple from the window she was in front of, stared at it. It was impossible to figure out what was happening. She could not just stay there, not helping the Jedi.

Grabbing a blaster as she hurried from the room, Padme started towards the Jedi temple.

When she reached it, she quickly took in the situation. She didn't understand why the clones where fighting against the Jedi, but there wasn't time to think about it.

Raising her blaster, she shot down one of the clones.

Anakin hadn't seen the clone behind him, didn't know how close he'd been to being shot. He spun, and on seeing his rescuer, his jaw dropped and he nearly got shot again, barely deflecting the bolt. "Padmé!"

"Anakin!" She ran towards him, firing at another clone as she approached. "What's happening?"

"It's Palpatine," he growled, eyes flashing. "Padme, get out of here, it's not safe!"

Padme shook her head. She wasn't going to leave and then have to worry about Anakin's fate. "I'm staying with you."

"No!" he cried. Forcing her behind a pillar for safety, he met her eyes. "If you or the baby is hurt, I couldn't go on. You have to get out of here. You have to." A blaster bolt zinged above their heads, plaster chunks falling close as he silently pled for her to see sense.

She silently met his eyes. It wasn't a good idea for to be there, but it didn't change the fact that she wanted to be. But he was right, it put the baby in danger.

"I'll stay back here." At least she would have an idea of what was going on and would still be able to provide some help from behind the pillar.

Anakin nodded. "Be careful." Not caring who might see him then, he kissed her forehead, before turning away to help his fellow Jedi.

-88-

In another wing of the Temple, Mace Windu and his new-found Gran ally were battering their way through as best they could. Bodies of Jedi and clone alike lay in every hallway, it seemed.

The Gran bent over, changing the clip in his blaster before straightening. "I hope you know what you're doing, Master."

"So do I," Windu muttered.

-88-

Padme fired her blaster again at the clones, before looking over to where Anakin was. Where any of the other Jedi even alive? "Anakin!" She called, "There's too many of them!"

"I know! But we can't abandon the Temple!" Anakin cried, deflecting another shot and Force-pushing another wave of troops back. His mind was whirling. What to do now? he silently asked.

An instant later, two figures leapt into the fray beside him. "Need a hand?"

Anakin gaped at the Gran for a moment before seeing the human beside him "Master Windu!" he gasped.

Windu smiled thinly, grimly. "Skywalker." He nodded to the clones. "I think we know who to blame for this."

"Sidious." Anakin's eyes narrowed in confirmation.

While Padme did not know of Sidious' identity, she didn't think that moment was the time to try and get answers. They had to try and make it out of there alive, and so she put all of her attention to the task at hand.

"I know that you don't want to abandon the Temple, Anakin," she said, "But we can't win here."

Anakin grit his teeth, looked towards Master Windu, whose face was grim. "I've spoken to what Jedi I can. They are to try to aid each other escape the Temple if at all possible. As for us, the Senator is right. We cannot stay here."

"But, Master–" Anakin began to protest. He was stayed by a stern look from Windu and nodded reluctantly.

"If those clones haven't tampered with it, my speeder can get us out," the Gran spoke up. "It may be our only choice, Masters."

Padme fired the blaster she held at the clones again, glad that the others were agreeing with her even if Anakin wasn't. They needed to get out of there. She didn't say anything else, was allowing Windu to take charge of the situation.

Windu nodded to the Gran. "Lead the way, friend," he ordered. The Gran nodded, and with Windu covering him, began to sprint through the halls, back towards the landing platform.

Anakin brought up the rear, with Padme just ahead of him.

She reached the speeder and got inside, hoping that they were not the only ones who would be able to escape the Temple.

Clones began streaming onto the platform, firing at the escapees. Windu and Anakin deflected the shots as the Gran started the speeder up and they rose into the streams of traffic in the Coruscant sky.

Anakin gazed down at the magnificent building, one of the only homes he had ever known besides Tatooine, smoke pouring from the spires. He looked away, closing his eyes for a long moment.